Footy world does double-take over wild Shaq photo

Mystery surrounds an incredible photo of Shaquille O’Neal and other NBA legends after an Instagram post that came from nowhere.

The NBA on TNT rocking the red and black. Photo: Instagram, @ernie.johnson.

The footy world is doing a double take over a crazy photo showing NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley showing off in Essendon jumpers.

The photo of the NBA on TNT crew, which also includes host Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith, first emerged on Johnson’s Instagram page without any real explanation.

It shows the four scallywags — who make up the most popular broadcast team in basketball — standing side by side inside a TV studio holding up Bombers guernseys with their names and playing numbers on them.

The NBA on TNT rocking the red and black. Photo: Instagram, @ernie.johnson.

“Your mates in the States — the newest fans of the @essendonfc. Go Bombers,” Johnson posted.

The Bombers shared the image on their own Instagram page a few minutes later with a simple message: “Red + black suits you, gents”.

How the photo came about is yet to be explained.

Red + black suits you, gents ❤️🖤 pic.twitter.com/RQ0WsHH2e2

— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) February 4, 2022

Bombers bandwagon getting mighty full 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZJIXMjd3uN

— 7AFL (@7AFL) February 4, 2022

The photo will be hard for Fremantle fans to see after Shaq in 2020 professed a love for the Dockers after meeting forward Hayden Crozier.

After meeting Crozier and Lions star Lachie Neale behind the scenes at the TNT studio, Shaq compared Brooklyn Nets star Blake Griffin to the Dockers player.

“He reminds me of my good friend Hayden, from the Fremantle Dockers, in Aussie Football Rules,” O’Neal said of Griffin.

“He’s playing tough, he’s playing tough and rugged. That’s how I like him to play.”

It adds to the mystery surrounding the photo posted by Johnson.

It’s also a significant U-turn for Barkley, who in 2009 described AFL players as “damn idiots”.

“I don’t want to insult the Australians (but) I am like, ‘These guys are some damn idiots’,” Barkley said on ESPN Radio.

“Nobody plays football without pads every week for three, four or five months and don’t make any money.

“At least in the NFL, you are going to kill yourself and ... you get to be a millionaire after it’s over.”

It seems purely a coincidence that O’Neal is showing support for the team Ben Simmons — who he this week called a “crybaby” — grew up cheering for.